Expressionismus in Kunst und Film

The exhibition Expressionism in Art and Film aims to shed new light on Expressionism across traditional genre boundaries and to show the mutual influences between the arts of painting, graphics and film. In painted and moving images, the exhibition shows how deeply Expressionism was permeated by the crises of its time and how it loudly gave expression to the rapid social upheavals. Expressionism as a cultural revolutionary movement endeavored from the beginning to unite art and life, to abolish the separation of the arts and thus multiple talents became the ideal of the artists and the total work of art the desired goal.

Emden, Kunsthalle Emden, 13 February 2022 - 12 June 2022
Schweinfurt, Museum Georg Schäfer, 13 November 2022 - 12 February 2023

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As a revolutionary cultural movement, Expressionism tried ever since its beginning to join art and life and abolish the separation between the arts. Multiple talents became the ideal of the artists, while the Gesamtkunstwerk – the total and universal artwork – turned into the desired goal. Expressionism in Art and Film traces the style trend crossing traditional genre boundaries, outlining the mutual influences between painting, graphics and film. Social criticism on the one hand, and ideal and dream images on the other, stand out in Expressionism. Caricature images of modern women and men are also present, as are new viewing habits and behaviors. The great upheavals of the early 20th century can be found in the exaggerated figures, strong contrasts and distorted perspectives characterizing form and aesthetics of the Expressionism. The whole image of this nerve-wracking time comes to life by juxtaposing different genres. Painted images as well as motion pictures reveal how deeply Expressionism was permeated by the crises of its time and how loudly it expressed the abrupt social upheavals.